


Let Go

by KitsuneArashi



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Dom Dean, Dom!Balthazar, Dom/sub, Hurt Castiel, M/M, Past Balthazar/Castiel, Past Castiel/Others, Past Dean/others - Freeform, Safewords, Single Parent Castiel, Single Parent Dean Winchester, Sub Castiel, Sub!Castiel, Subdrop, Topdrop, dom!Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-20
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-03-21 15:25:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13743813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KitsuneArashi/pseuds/KitsuneArashi
Summary: Holding on to a rope as it slips through your fingers is a sure fire way to get rope burn and blisters, sometimes it's worth it but sometimes you have to let go so you can grab hold of something better.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Most of my tags are to follow, this chapter just demanded to be written and now I gotta go from there, I'll add more tags as I add more chapters. And I'll probably change my summary later too because I can never come up with a good one.
> 
>  
> 
> Awesome mood board by [ HeavenlyCreatre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeavenlyCreatre) over [here](http://kitsunelovescas.tumblr.com/post/171079696350/casbalthy-for-my-new-fic-let-go).

  
  
  
“Cassie, don’t go!” Balthazar called plaintively, reaching out a hand to stop him from passing him. “Why are you doing this?”  
  
Castiel felt his face go flat, all the energy sapping out of his body as a wave of exhaustion slammed into him at once, he was so done with this. So done with _him_ and his whole routine. “How can you even ask that? You should know why,” he hissed, pulling his arm out from under Balthazar’s hand.  
  
“But I don’t want you to leave.” Balthazar whispered brokenly, watching as Castiel gathered his things from around the hotel room.  
  
Castiel chuckled darkly, raising his own blue eyes to meet Balthazar's, guilt and pity nearly swallowing his resolve as he took in the other man’s unshed tears and flushed cheeks. “Because it’s always about what _you_ want isn’t it, Balthazar?”  
  
“That’s not fair!” Balthazar protested, stepping forward again, trying to close the distance between them “Castiel it was always about what you wanted, that’s how our arrangement worked, you were always able to stop it.”  
  
“That’s what I’m doing now and yet you’re fighting me!” Castiel snapped out, retreating again from the outstretched hand.

“Because this is more than just stopping a scene, Castiel!” Balthazar looked desperate, his watery gaze refusing to let Castiel move an inch. “You’re finishing us, completely. I...”  
  
“Bal,” Castiel’s voice was soft and he fixed his eyes on the rumpled bedding, the cuffs and flogger laying haphazardly where they’d fallen in the midst of their scene. “There isn’t an us, and you can’t really say there ever was.”  
  
“But…” Balthazar choked out a sob, swallowing thickly before he could continue. Cas could sense what was coming, and he knew if he didn’t stop Balthazar soon, he’d be stuck in some kind of twisted loop with him. Again. “I have feelings for you, our arrangement was more than just me being your Dom.”  
  
Castiel felt his face flame indignantly and he angrily snatched his shirt from the chair beside the bed. “Feelings?” He spat out incredulously, “what feelings exactly? Because for months it’s just been these undefined ‘feelings’ or ‘I care for you’s’. _Which tells me nothing!_ ” Cas’ tirade didn’t stop as he stiffly buttoned up the front of his shirt. “Of course you’re going to have some kind of feelings, considering we’ve been sleeping together for over a year! Considering you’ve beaten and bruised me until I was begging you to fuck me, begging you for permission to move, to cum.”  
  
“I, I…” Balthazar choked again and Castiel snorted.  
  
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Cas spat out, sarcastically. He was resigned, and he wasn’t prepared to falter. Not this time. “I knew what our arrangement was early on. One of the very first things you told me was that you weren’t after anything serious. Especially not with me because you have a certain way you want your life to go, and Jack and Claire don’t exactly fit that.”

“Cas-” Balthazar looked stricken, but he couldn’t deny it, he’d said it, and meant it then and later when it had come up as well. Nothing had changed at the core of things, and that was something that Castiel refused to accept; they were still _ok_ , still _them_.

“And yet I still went along with it,” Castiel continued as though Balthazar hadn’t spoken. “I’m Demisexual, which you knew, and I liked you for accepting that. I went along with it because it was what you wanted and you were willing to take me on as a brand new submissive, willing to teach me and yes it was exciting. There were no strings, just our arrangement. Then… then you took such good care of me, you loaned me money and you even helped me move house.” Castiel ran a frustrated hand through his dark hair, sending it sticking out in all different directions. “You bought me gifts and did nice things and... it all felt so unreal. It made me feel _so_ damn guilty to accept things from you all the time, because it clouded our arrangement.” Castiel shook his head derisively, “Then to top it all off you got possessive, you got clingy and greedy with my time.”  
  
Balthazar slumped into the chair by the door, staring blankly at the collar Castiel had slipped off and set on the rickety hotel table after their scene, just listening as Castiel finally let loose months of frustration.

“You added new rules to our contract, you changed existing rules and you flat out denied me things that were not in your power to deny!” Castiel was pacing now, concentrating on not raising his voice too much, the paper thin walls of the cheap hotel didn’t afford them much privacy as it was. “You broke my trust by giving orders and punishments that were unfair and when confronted with how much that hurt me you turned around and said it was because you had ‘feelings’ and you were afraid you were losing me.”  
  
“It’s true!” Balthazar said defensively, trying desperately to make things right, to keep Castiel there. “I do! I care about you a lot, Cassie. I meant it when I said you were my favorite person, I did things for you that I wouldn’t do for anyone else.”  
  
“That’s not enough! And it’s not an excuse for you to want to monopolize my time and get upset with me when I don’t speak to you when _you_ want me to. I have children! I have a house to run! I have a life outside of you! A life that _you_ made clear very early on that you wanted to be no part of.” Castiel was out of breath when he finished,  The familiar old hurt bubbling to the surface just like it was new again. “And just when I made my peace with that, you changed the game again. I am not a toy for you to discard and pick up as you please!”  
  
“I wasn’t doing that… things changed, I changed my mind! I want you, Castiel.” Balthazar rose shakily from the chair, determined to stand his ground and face down his sub as the Dom he was. “You’re _mine_ , you agreed to it and you wanted _me_ too.”  
  
“You want me, yes,” Castiel agreed softly, collecting his phone from the nightstand before facing the Dom unflinchingly. “But you don’t want my children, you don’t want to be an equal in my life. You’ve met my friends, they know who you are, but did I ever meet yours? Do they even know you’ve been seeing someone for the past year and a half? My _parents_ know about you and I’ve always been a secret for you.” Castiel shook his head. “I can’t do this anymore.”  
  
Castiel stepped around him, reaching for the handle to the hotel room door. “Castiel! Stop!” Balthazar’s Dom voice rang with command, a last ditch effort to hold on to what they had, his hand snapping out to wrap around Castiel’s wrist and pull him closer, raising his other hand to gently tease the hairs on the back of the sub’s neck in the way that he knew calmed Castiel when he was agitated.  
  
“Red.” Castiel’s voice was barely a whisper but Balthazar reacted viscerally, his whole body recoiling like he’d been slapped as he stepped back and released Castiel’s wrist. The safeword the submissive had never once felt like he needed to use before now hitting him like a bucket of ice water.  
  
Castiel didn’t stop, didn’t turn around, as he pulled the door open and left. They were done, over long before now. Over when Balthazar had deemed Castiel’s children a deal breaker before ever knowing anything about them or him, over when he decided to have some fun with the submissive anyway.  
  
They were over and Balthazar could honestly only blame himself.


	2. Chapter 1

**2 Months Later**

 

“You don’t have to stay Dad,” Claire tried arguing as they unloaded the car, “the invitation says you can just drop me off and leave.”

“Your brother is allowed to be here too Claire, it is a public pool. I’ll keep him from interrupting, I promise.” Castiel sighed wearily, this conversation was getting old, Claire had been on his case about it all morning.  
  
“Fine,” the 10 year old pouted, snatching her towel and stomping through the safety gate with barely a “see you later” tossed over her shoulder as she caught sight of her friends.

Squinting into the sunlight, Castiel carefully pulled the gate closed with his free hand. The other hand was wrapped tightly around Jack’s smaller one, and a bag filled with towels and sunscreen was slung over one shoulder. Claire was halfway across the pavement to where the large group of fifth graders were descending on a table filled with snacks before he’d even gotten the pool gate latched securely behind him.

Children’s birthday parties such as these were always difficult for Cas to sit through.Typically, they were filled with middle aged women who sat around gossiping about everyone who didn’t attend, and sometimes, even people who did. He was glad he had Jack there as a buffer and an excuse for him to sit by the kiddie pool, away from the main group, so that the energetic 5 year old could wade around and splash happily, and not bother his older sister or her friends.

Depositing the bag of colorful towels, he helped Jack take his t-shirt off and meticulously applied sunscreen to all of his exposed skin. Castiel sat back and looked over his son critically, letting out a thoughtful “Hmm.” as he frowned in mock concern.  
  
“What?” Jack asked, looking down at himself and back up at his father. “Daddy what?”  
  
“I think I missed a spot.” Castiel announced seriously, reaching his hand towards the small boy. “Come here.” Jack came willingly and stood just within arms reach, dancing from foot to foot as he waited for his father to finish with the sunscreen so that he could play.  
  
“Dad,” he whined, when Castiel didn’t move before breaking off with a delighted shriek as Castiel rushed him, scooping him up and digging his fingers into his son’s sides and tickling him as he kicked and squealed. “Stop, Dad, stop!” the boy giggled, trying to hold his father’s hands still.  
  
“Ok ok.” Castiel chuckled, walking over to the side of the pool and depositing his son carefully into the water, “go on, before I notice another spot I missed.” He laughed as Jack dashed away through the shallows with a yell.  
  
“You’re good with him.” A voice said wistfully from behind him and Castiel jumped, startled.  
  
“Oh, thanks.” He said awkwardly, turning to face a small, dark haired woman in a white cotton sundress. “I try.”  
  
She smiled softly and sat down beside him, swinging her bare feet over the side of the pool and into the water. “You here for the birthday party?” She asked, tilting her head towards the larger pool that was currently dominated by sugared up 10 year olds. Castiel smiled wryly as he watched the lanky form of the lifeguard rushing between children asking for them to stop dunking each other or reminding them that bombing was not allowed.  
  
“Yeah,” Castiel replied with a grin as he followed her gaze and watched as Claire sent a wave of water cascading over her friends with her arm. “My daughter was invited.”  
  
“Mmm.” At her noncommittal reply Castiel looked back over at the woman, expecting her to be trying to find a way out of the conversation or asking about his lack of wedding band. That was usually how these meetings would go, however he was surprised to see that she was instead holding her arms out to catch a falling Jack as he tripped while running over to meet the newcomer.  
  
“Jack!” Castiel groaned, trying to pull the boy away, apology on his lips as he took in how much water his son had splashed onto the woman’s, now see-through, dress.  
  
“It’s alright,” the woman assured him, turning instead to address his son, “are you alright? You shouldn’t run in the pool, it’s dangerous.” Jack nodded meekly, his bottom lip quivering as he pouted.  
  
“I’m so sorry, Ma’am.” Castiel tried again once she’d finished setting Jack back onto his feet.  
  
“Meg.” The brunette corrected, again brushing aside his apologies. “It’s fine, it’s just water.”  
  
“Even so, Meg. Please let me at least get you a towel.” Castiel declared in a plaintive tone, and  looked over at the other parents anxiously. He was hoping that he wasn’t going to be the next person they chose to gossip about. After all, he was seated beside a woman he knew nothing about, whose dress was now see through enough that he could make out the gentle curve of breasts peeking out over the top of a lemon colored bra.  
  
“Really,” she paused and looked up at Castiel’s flushing face expectantly.  
  
“Castiel.” He supplied, embarrassed that he hadn’t yet introduced himself.

“Castiel,” Meg continued, “it’s totally fine. Accidents happen and my clothes will dry. He didn’t mean it.”  
  
Castiel smiled weakly and cut his gaze across the pool towards his son, only to jump up in alarm when he realized he could no longer see his son’s unruly mop of hair. “Jack?” He called, panic growing when there was no answering call from his son. He spun on his heel and scanned the main pool, stomach dropping out when he didn’t see Jack or Claire there, either.  
  
“Claire!” He yelled, relieved when her blonde head popped out from behind her friend’s. “Is Jack with you?” His heart stopped when she shook her head in confusion before returning to her game.  
  
“It’s alright, Clarence.” Meg soothed, trying to calm him down and hide her own concern and guilt at distracting the man from his son. “Why don’t you check the men’s change room and the cafe and I’ll check the tables at the party and the ladies room?”  
  
“It’s Castiel,” he mumbled distractedly, latching on to her suggestion and heading for the men’s room at a jog.  
  
A rushed search of the toilet stalls and shower cubicles later left him empty handed and jogging slightly faster towards the cafe, his eyes double and triple checking both pools as he passed them.  
  
His pace slowed as he neared the cafe, shoving open the door when he caught a smooth voice saying “I think your mommy might be wondering where you are.”  
  
He cut through the line as he heard Jack’s somber voice replying seriously and his heart nearly broke in two. “I don’t have a mommy.”  
  
“Jack!” He cried out in relief, scooping up his son and holding him close while he willed his heart rate to slow down.  
  
A low chuckle reached his ears and the voice from before spoke again, “Well it looks like someone was worried about you, Champ.”  
  
Castiel lowered Jack to the ground, sending his son a glare that said in no uncertain terms, _don’t move._ Jack scuffed his bare feet against the tiled ground and stared down at them, knowing he was in big trouble.  
  
“Thank you so-” Castiel started, standing up to face the man who’d been talking to his son, “much...” he trailed off, swallowing heavily as he took in the gorgeous face in front of him.  
  
Green eyes and freckles leaped out at him from a face almost too perfect to be real, a winning grin crept across the man’s lips and Castiel licked his own unconsciously, mouth suddenly dry.  
  
“Dean.” The green eyed man finished for him. “And it was no problem, Sport here followed us up from the pool, I was about to take him back and find his family, you I guess.” Dean reached down and ruffled Jack’s hair.  
  
“I wanted nougat.” Jack mumbled with a pout, leaning into the touch despite himself. “He has nougat.” He pointed to a boy hiding behind Dean’s legs.  
  
“That’s enough Jack.” Castiel huffed, his panic receding into the kind of anger that comes from knowing the person you were worried for was ok after all. “Thank you Dean. Jack, let’s go.”  
  
“Hey wait,” Dean called, watching the father and son carefully, eyes sharp. “You didn’t tell me your name.”  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Castiel had been saying that a lot today it seemed, and he turned back to face Dean with a resigned smile. “I’m Castiel and this is Jack.”  
  
“Well, Castiel and Jack,” Dean smiled winningly, “Ben and I would like to invite you to join us, isn’t that right kiddo?” The boy behind Dean’s legs stepped out and nodded shyly.  
  
“I, uh…” Castiel shot a quick glance out of the cafe towards the pool to see Claire was hovering around the party food tables again, as the children from the birthday party clambered around for cake. “Alright.” He agreed, smiling at the way Ben’s toothless grin lit up his whole face and the boy grabbed Jack’s hand to lead him over to a table, the boys already chattering away together about nougat.  
  
“Why don’t you help the boys save us a table while I go and order?” Dean suggested, his voice low and soothing to Castiel in a way he couldn’t place. “My treat.”  
  
“Oh, yes Si- erm sure” Castiel stammered, covering his slip with a cough, finding himself unable to even _want_ to do anything but what Dean asked of him. As the green eyed man turned away Castiel could have sworn he heard a bitten-off ‘ _good boy_ ’ and just the thought of that made his face heat and he hurried towards the table the two boys had claimed.  
  
“Hi Jack’s dad.” Ben said sweetly when Castiel reached the table, patting the chair next to him cheerfully.  
  
“Hello Ben,” Castiel replied gently. “You can call me Castiel.”  
  
“Castle?” Ben tried, air whistling through his missing front teeth as he spoke.  
  
A deep chuckle announced the arrival of Dean, holding a tray carrying a pair of milkshakes in two tall glasses and two large mugs of coffee, as well as a table number. “Nice try kiddo.” He said fondly, setting the milkshakes in front of the children, who shrieked happily and immediately started in on them, then placing the number on the table where it could be seen by the waitstaff before handing Castiel his coffee and taking a sip of his own with a satisfied sigh. “Cas-tee-el, it’s an angelic name right?”  
  
Castiel nodded. “Yes, the angel of Thursday is what my mother said. Because I was born on a Thursday.” He rolled his eyes and Dean grinned.  
  
“I see, so religious family then?” He prodded, wanting to get to know more about the blue eyed man seated next to him. “Got a brother named after the angel of Tuesday?” 

Castiel grinned and shook his head, “no, but I do have an elder brother named Gabriel.”  
  
“Like God’s messenger!” Dean exclaimed cheerfully, eager to show his knowledge off.  
  
“That’s the one,” Castiel agreed, before laughing and continuing, “though I doubt God, or even our parents would agree with the message that Gabe is spreading now, if they knew.”  
  
Dean quirked an eyebrow and glanced over at him, inviting him to elaborate. Castiel found himself subconsciously biting his lip at the gesture and turned away with a cough, eyeing the children nearby to make sure they couldn’t overhear, he leaned in closer and dropped his voice anyway. “He, uh, he runs Shibari classes in New York.”  
  
Both of Dean’s eyebrows rose and an unreadable look crossed his face, “oh yeah? That’s pretty cool. What do you… I mean,” he cleared his throat and quickly changed what he’d been about to say, “what do you do then?”  
  
Castiel wondered what he’d been about to ask but let the subject change go. He was also mildly curious that Dean had known what Shibari even was, but aware that it was not exactly a conversation for a crowded cafe with two small children at their table. “Well I’ve only just moved out here and haven’t actually found work I can fit in around the children, it feels like it’s impossible.”  
  
“Ah yeah, it makes it hard. I’m lucky I have my dad and Sammy to take care of Ben for me.” Dean smiled over at his son fondly before snapping his gaze up to take in the woman bringing over their food. 

“Thank you, Lamamu.” Dean said sincerely, smiling up at the pretty waitress when she set his plate in front of him and reaching over to take the second plate of pie from her to set in front of Castiel.  
  
“Thanks,” Jack and Ben chorused when they were each handed a plate of nougat and they looked at each other and laughed.  
  
“Is Sammy Ben’s mother?” Castiel prodded curiously once they’d passed the plates between them and gotten settled down, eyes flicking down to confirm that, no, Dean was not wearing a wedding ring.  
  
“Nah man,” Dean laughed, “Sammy is my baby brother. Ben’s mom, well she, she left. Came home from the hospital one night to find a letter that Ben was at Sam’s and she wasn’t coming back. Only thing I’ve heard from her since was a letter from a lawyer giving me full parental rights over the kiddo.” He rubbed his neck awkwardly, “juggling a 3 month old baby and paramedic traineeship was hard as hell, let me tell you.”  
  
“But you made it.” Castiel said gently, flicking his eyes down to take in Dean’s uniform, the thick navy fabric sitting perfectly to accentuate his lean form and putting all kinds of images into his head.  
  
“I did, and so will you.” Dean replied softly, snapping Castiel out of his fantasy. The fact that Castiel hadn’t answered his question didn’t escape him, but he let it lie and just smiled. For now.

Castiel realized he’d been caught checking out the other man and raised his gaze awkwardly. Dean winked and changed the subject again, leaning past him to include the children this time. “How’s the nougat?” He asked, grinning as the two boys made sounds of approval through full mouths. “I think they like it Cas. I can call you Cas, right?”  
  
Castiel grinned shyly at the nickname and nodded. “Of course.”

“Cas-” Ben’s teeth whistled as he repeated it and he giggled.  
  
“Or you could call him Clarence.” Meg’s sultry voice came from behind him, a smile clear in her voice as she spoke. “Easier on the teeth holes.” She winked at the boys as they giggled.  
  
“Meg.” Dean stated flatly, staring her down. “I’m not buying your coffee this time.”

“I already paid for mine, just added it to your table number Deano.” Meg grinned slyly. “Why? Am I interrupting something?”

Dean had opened his mouth to reply when his pager buzzed at his hip. He closed his mouth with a snap. “Guess not,” he mumbled, a disappointed look on his face as he stood, finishing his coffee in quick gulps. “Meg can you take Ben to Sam’s?”  
  
“Of course, it’s on my way home.” Meg responded seriously, grinning across the table at the boy in question.  
  
“It was nice meeting you Cas.” Dean said softly, hovering regretfully and eyeing his untouched slice of pie.  
  
“Go on Deano, I’ll bring your pie to the hospital when I come for my shift.” At Castiel’s confused squint, Meg’s grin widened. “I’m a nurse, Clarence. Dean’s ambulance works out of our ER.” she explained. Castiel nodded in understanding as Meg shooed Dean away from the table, laughing at the way his eyes lingered on the pie.

“But... pie.” He reached across to take it. Maybe he could eat and drive.

Meg slapped his hand away from the plate and shooed him away again. “Go, I’ll bring it... If I don’t eat it first,” she teased, snickering at the outrage expression that crossed his face.  
  
“You wouldn’t dare!” He called out as he left, sending the fiery woman a glare as she cackled at his retreating form. 


	3. Chapter 2

“So…” Castiel trailed off, side eyeing Meg pointedly, “you and Dean?” Meg looked startled at first, before, much to Castiel’s consternation, she started laughing. “What’s funny?” he asked, a little sullenly.   
  
“You thought...“ Meg sucked in a gulping, heaving breath and tried to calm her laughter, “you thought that Dean and I were a thing?”   
  
Castiel nodded, “well yeah, he just up and left his son with you.”   
  
Meg grinned and reached over to stroke Ben’s hair affectionately, “I owe a lot to this kid, don’t I Ben?”    
  
Ben looked up and gave Castiel a toothy smile, “Yup! Aunt Meg would never have met Uncle Sam if it wasn’t for me being born.”   
  
Castiel’s gaze snapped across to meet Meg’s, who winked at him and wiggled her eyebrows. “Already got my own Winchester Clarence, Dean is free for the taking.” She smirked.

Castiel was saved from replying by his phone pinging with a series of text messages, which honestly was a good thing as he’d been about to say something about wanting Dean to take _him_ , and that just wasn’t appropriate considering the children were right there.  
  
Balthazar: _Before you left I never knew there was two kinds of being horny._  
  
Balthazar: _There’s regular horny and then there’s horny for You._   
  
Balthazar: _I_ _t’s like, no matter how many people I fuck it’s still there, because it’s not you._  
  
Castiel rolled his eyes and locked the screen again, putting his phone back down on the tabletop. Meg’s eyes followed the action with interest. 

“Not going to reply?” She asked pointedly, curiosity in her voice.   
  
“No.” Castiel said testily, before deciding to change the subject. “So you’re Dean’s brother’s wife?”   
  
“Pfft, no.” Meg snickered, not meeting his eyes and Cas knew it was a sore point for her. “I’m just his girlfriend.”   


“Oh I see,” Castiel mumbled, “it’s just from the way that Ben calls you “Aunt” Meg, I assumed…” he trailed off, embarrassed that he’d put his foot in it after only an hour.   
  
“Nah, Sam doesn’t seem too fond of the idea.” Meg sat back and smiled up at the waitress bringing her coffee over to the table. “Perfect timing Lamamu,” she said cheerfully to the pretty brunette, who gave her a wink and left. Meg knew she had her eye on one of the firemen that was there to check on their safety procedures so she didn’t engage her in conversation like she normally would. Sure enough, Lamamu was soon perched where she could pretend to work and still surreptitiously eye the man’s ass. Meg smirked and turned back to Castiel and the question he was sure to ask next.   
  
Castiel smiled at the waitress as she left, before giving his attention back to Meg, taking in the defensive hunch of her shoulders, “But you would like to be?” He guessed, dropping his voice so that the children couldn’t hear.

“Well, yeah. We’ve been together five years, don’t people normally get engaged after like… two?” Meg lowered her eyes and looked sadly at her coffee, “maybe he doesn’t want to marry me, what if I’m not enough?”   
  
Castiel huffed and carefully leaned across the table to touch her hand before he could second guess himself, “then he wouldn’t have stayed with you for this long.” Castiel assured her, not really knowing what to say in this situation. He didn’t know either of them enough to comment. “maybe he hasn’t even thought about it, or maybe he’s waiting on some sort of cue from you.”   
  
Meg opened her mouth to respond but she was interrupted by Castiel’s phone ringing. He’d placed it face up on the glass and now that it was activated the vibrations had it sliding around on the table. Castiel glanced down at it, an irritated expression appearing on his face. He was pretty sure it was only Balthazar calling him because he’d ignored his messages. His finger was poised to reject it, but Cas stopped himself just in time from cancelling the call due to the unknown number flashing on the screen. Curiosity won out and he slid the green button over to take the call.   
  
“Hello?” He answered, unsure as to who could be calling him.    
  
“Hello Mr Novak?” A cheerful voice greets him and Castiel finds himself relaxing marginally at the sound of the smile in her voice.   
  
“Yes?” Cas’ brow furrowed in confusion. He didn’t recognise her voice, but for some reason he got the feeling that he was supposed to know who she was, or that she knew him from somewhere. 

“Hi there, this is Charlie Bradbury from Pleasures & Treasures, I got your job application and I was wondering if you had time to come in for an interview tomorrow?” Castiel went from elated to disappointed in the span of a few words. There was just no way it could be done.   
  
“An interview tomorrow?” He repeated, mentally doing the math and trying to find some way to actually make it possible, knowing full well there was no way he could manage it. “Is it possible to do it on Monday instead?”    
  
Charlie’s voice was genuinely sad when she replied, “I’m sorry, it would have to be tomorrow, we need someone to start Monday.”   
  
“Oh.” Castiel’s heart dropped and he shook his head sadly at Meg who was giving him a thumbs up the second she’d heard the word “interview” leave his lips. “I’m sorry, I can’t-” he started to decline before Meg wrenched the phone from his hands.   
  
“Tomorrow?” She asked, stepping out of Castiel’s reach as he struggled to get the phone back from her. Somehow she managed to keep her voice free from the physical restraint she was now under. “11am? Yep, he’ll be there. Thank you.”   
  
Castiel gaped at her as she said a polite goodbye and ended the call with a cheeky grin. “Meg! There’s no way I can make that interview, even if it were appropriate to bring children to a job interview... it’s  _ not _ at a place that it would be okay to bring children.”    
  
One of Meg’s eyebrows shot up curiously. “Sure you can Clarence, Ben and I are going to the movies tomorrow and I’m sure there’s room for two more, do you wanna see Moana with us, Jack?” Meg leaned over to stage whisper the question to Jack, holding Castiel’s gaze as she did so.    
  
Jack bounced excitedly in his seat and looked up at his father with pleading eyes. Cas was trying to contain the irritation he now felt at such an invasion of his privacy. Even if it had been done with good intentions, who did that to someone? To a potential employer, at that? Also, what made her think he had the money to fund an outing to the cinema? Cas swallowed, and tried to see the positive. He had an interview, and the offer for a sitter. 

“Please daddy! Please can I go? Even Claire wants to see Moana.” Castiel’s irritation couldn’t hold up in the face of Jack’s begging, and it downright fizzled and died when Ben turned pleading eyes towards him as well. He crumbled.   
  
Cas glared at Meg again before sighing in defeat, he needed this job, badly, and there was no other way he could make that interview.  “Which cinema are you going to?”

“Just the little one off Main Street next to the park.” Meg replied carefully. She knew she has overstepped herself but for some reason this lost looking man appealed to her in ways she couldn’t explain, and she just wanted to help him.

“Daddy?” Jack’s voice broke into Castiel’s thoughts and he turned away from Meg to face him instead. “Can we go back in the pool soon?”   
  
Castiel’s face softened and he finally smiled, “yeah kiddo, let’s go. Coming Meg?” He motioned with his head to the kiddie pool as he stood.    
  
“You know it, stud.” Meg grabbed Ben’s hand and followed behind Castiel and Jack as they walked back together.   
  
Watching Jack playing comfortably with Ben loosened a band of stress that Castiel had been feeling around his heart since they moved here, and he was glad to see his son was finally making friends.   
  
“Thank you, Meg.” Castiel said softly, genuinely grateful for her actions, even if he still felt they were out of line for someone he barely knew. Cas wasn’t even sure if anyone that he  _ did _ know would go that far.   
  
“Hey, no problem. I probably shouldn’t have stuck my nose in but you looked like you needed the bail out.” Meg looked uncomfortable with his thanks and ducked her head. She kicked her toe against the ground for a few moments before she looked up again with a determined look. “I’ll cover the movie tickets too of course.”

Castiel snapped his head to face her, only to find her still studiously looking away from him, staring off into the distance where some other children were playing a game with an oversized bubble-blower. “I can get it, I should honestly be paying your for your time.”    
  
Castiel knew what he was saying to be true, but he could have kicked himself, already mentally cancelling his Netflix subscription and cutting coffee from his diet for the next month to be able to afford the extra.   
  
“Bullshit Clarence.” Meg’s eyes were fiery as she turned her head to glare at him. “I know the look. You’re struggling enough as it is, let me do this for you.” Her eyes softened and she placed her hand over his wrist lightly. “I’ve been there. You get this job and you can pay me back then, if you insist. Or pay it forward, I don’t care. Just let me do this.”   
  
Castiel swallowed and shut his eyes tightly, trying not to get too emotional. “Thank you.” He said again, voice cracking at the effort of speaking when he wanted nothing more than to cry. Cas had never met anyone so generous that expected nothing in return. His experiences with people like Balthazar were entirely too frequent.   
  
“Don’t mention it.” Meg’s hand was removed from his wrist and the next thing Cas knew he was being splashed with water. His eyes snapped open in shock. Cold water dripped down his face and onto his shirt.   
  
He laughed in surprise at Meg’s cheeky grin and eyed the water gun in her hands curiously. “Where did you get that?” he asked, confused by it’s sudden appearance.

Meg’s grin widened and she pointed at someone over his shoulder. Castiel turned around to look and was met with another faceful of water. “Claire!” He gasped in mock outrage as his daughter doubled over with giggles, a super-soaker held loosely in one hand.   
  
They spent the rest of the afternoon watching the children have a water fight in the kiddie pool, Castiel beaming proudly whenever Claire would slow down just enough to allow for the younger kids to hit her, or swing her aim a little wide to miss them and give them a longer turn at not being ‘it’.   
  
“How was the party?” He asked Claire once they’d calmed down and started to collect their belongings.He and Meg had exchanged numbers and said their goodbyes about half an hour previously, and Cas was looking forward to getting home for some rest.   
  
“It was good!” Claire smiled happily at him, her hair drying into curls around her face. “Kaia is going to make me a bestfriend bracelet and give it to me at school!”   
  
Castiel smiled indulgently, crossing his fingers that he got the job tomorrow and could eventually afford for his daughter to be able to return the favor.    
  
Meg was clearly an angel in disguise, because Castiel really needed a break and he hoped that this was it.   
  
  



End file.
